Means for withdrawing cups from a nested stack



United States Patent Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Priority Bernard J. Pilliner 75 Brownhill Road, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, England Aug. 9, 1968 Nov. 17, 1970 Aug. 23, 1967 Great Britain MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING CUPS FROM A NESTED STACK 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl. 221/211 Int. Cl. B23q 7/04 Field ol'Search ..22l/4l, 2ll

l i l l l l I [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,945,846 2/1934 Adams 221/211X 2,340,639. 2/1944 Brinton et al. 221/211X 2,849,847 9/1958 Anderson 221/211X 2,937,786 5/1960 Muller 221/211 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Attorney-Holcombe, Wetherill & Brisebois ABSTRACT: Apparatus for withdrawing cups singly from one end of a nested stack of cups of flexible sheet material includmg a suction head which is movable into the stack and then outwardly with the end cup adhering to the stack. In its out-' ward movement the suction head draws a cup through a tapering aperture or equivalent structure which progressively deforms the edge of the cup to facilitate its particular separation from an adjacent cup still adhering to it.

Air blast means may also be provided to facilitate the separation.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 v 7 3,540,621

MEANS-FOR WITHDRAWING CUPS FROM A NESTED STACK Cakes, chocolates, and other commodities are sometimes packed in individual pleated cups usually made of paper or metal foil. The cups may be of frustoconical or other forms (e.g. oval in cross section), and have pleated or corrugated walls. They are commonly manufactured by pressing processes which complete a number, usually 20, cups at a time and it is subsequently difficult to separate individual cups from the nested stack so formed.

The invention relates to methods of and apparatus for extracting individual cups successively from a nested stack and depositing them, suitably oriented, at a desired location, such as onto a platen or conveyor band which may carry trays in which are recesses to receive them.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of withdrawing cups singly from one end of a nested stack of cups of flexible sheet material, including the steps ofmoving a suction head into the cup at one end of the stack, causing the cup to adhere to the suction head by suction, carrying the cup on the suction head through an aperture the cross section of.

which tapers in a direction away from the stack so as to progressively deform the skirt of the cut and facilitate separation of the cup from remaining cups of the stack, and then moving the suction head with the adhering cup to a selected location in which the cup is released from thesuction head.

The invention also provides apparatus for withdrawing cups singly from one end of a nested stack of cups of flexible sheet material, including means for supporting the stack, a suction head reciprocable from a position clear of the stack into the cup at one end of the stack and then clear of the stack again, and suction means operative to cause the end cup to adhere to the suction head, wherein deforming means are provided between the stack and a position clear of the stack, the deforming means having an aperture which tapers in crosssection in a direction away from the stack, the apparatus being suchthat, in operation, as the suction head moves clear of the stack a cup adhering to the suction head is drawn through the aperture and is progressively deformed to facilitate its separation from the remaining cups of the stack. 4

One constructional form of the invention will now be describedin detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: a FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus, (the thickness of stacked cups being exaggerated for clarity); and

FIG. 2 is a view on the line A-A ofFIG. 1.

blast between the skirts ofadjacent cups,

After withdrawal to position 3C, the suction head is rotated on shaft 7 about axis X-X to bring it to position 3D, whereupon the suction'is released and if necessary a small amount of compressed air injected to ensure the release of the cup from the head at the correct instant. The rotation may continue through a full 360 or be reversed to return the suction head to position 3C. At the time of release of the cup, the head may be stationary or moving in synchronisation with a conveyor band or tray on to which the cup is deposited. After return to position 3C the head is raised to 3A, carrying with it any cups located in plates 5, and the process is repeated.

The suction head may be provided with a spring loaded valve member which seats and interrupts flow when subjected to an excessive inrush of air, as when all the cups have been removed from the stack.

It will be appreciated that a number of suction heads may be mounted together, to extract from one or more magazines, and deposit cups according to a set pattern which may consist of one or more lines of cups at each operating cycle.

For example, there may be two or more suction heads arranged side by side and spaced apart along the axis of rotation X-X, or two or more heads may be mounted side by side spaced apart laterally of the rotational axis. Again, two or more suction heads could be mounted to extend radially with respect to the rotational axis.

These and other modifications will be within the scope of 'the present invention.

I claim:

j -l. In apparatus for withdrawing cups singly from one end of a nested stack of cups of flexible sheet material, including:

The apparatus shown is for handling cups of frustoconical form, withpleated skirts. The cups are stacked in a magazine 1 and the lower end of the stack 6 enters the mouth ofa conical hole in a plate 2, which supports the bottom ofthe stack.

A circular suction head 3 is movable vertically and can also be rotated about'axis -X-X.

The sequence of operation is as follows:

The suction head enters the stack ofcups to position 3A and contacts the face ofthe lowest cup 6A. Suction is then applied to the head. The head is withdrawn and the crimped skirt of the attached cup is contracted as it passes through the conical hole in plate 2 and engages the surface 2A, thus performing the first stage of separation by deforming the'skirt of the cup.

When the head reaches position 38, at which it may be stopped for a period, one or more air jets 4 blow on the skirt of the cup(s) to separate adjacent cups from the cup 6A attached to the head. A device is provided here, which may consist ofa cage formed from a number of shaped plates 5, to retain surplus cups which are also drawn through the conical hole in plate 2, while the suction head is further withdrawn to position 3C.

The plates 5 are designed to perform a function similar to that of the conical hole in the plate 2 in that their lower radial edges provide opposed surface portions 5A which are convergent downwardly, so that as the cup is drawn past them, the

a. means for supporting the stack;

b. a suction'head reciprocable from a position clear of the stack into a cup at one end of the stack and then clear of the stack again; and

cfsuction means operative to cause said cup to adhere to the suction head; i

the improvement comprising:

d. first and second successive deforming means between the stack and saidposition clear of the stack, each said deforming means including opposed surface portions which converge in a direction away from the stack whereby, in operation, a cup adhering to the suction head as it passes through each said deforming means, between said surface portions, is progressively deformed so as to facilitate its separation from the stack, said second deforming means consisting of a plurality of members defining a cage for the reception of a cup from the said first deforming means, and air jet means to direct an air blast between a skirt of a cup adhering to the suction head within said cage and a skirt of an adjacent cup.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the members defining the cage comprise a plurality of radially disposed plates, the inner longitudinal edges of which provide said surface portions.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said air jet means is operable to direct an air blast through spaces between said members defining the cage in a direction towards the stack and between a skirt of a cup adhering tothe suction head and a skirt of an adjacent cup.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means rotating the suction head about a transverse axis.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for moving the suction head to a selected position after it has been moved through the deforming means away from the stack, and means for injecting compressed air into the suction head when it has reached said selected position to release a cup adhering to the suction head.

for 

